The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-12-18
A REPRESENTATIVE HUSTLER.
How Cheek and Backbone viii Over
come Misfortune.

81 guess I am about the only hotel
man who ever made a cleanup in Sc
attle and got away with it" said s. s..
Bailey, formerly proprietor of the
New England hotel, in this city. but
now of large hotel in Spokane Falls,
in conversation with some gentlemen
yesterday. During the past ten
years 1 have been both unfortunate
and fortunate. When the fire has
come and destroyed my property, my
cheek and backbone have been
brought into requisition, and have
enabled me to get on top again.
"A few years ago established my
self in paying business in Portland,
Oregon, and just as l got In shape to
make some money, my evil genius, the
fiery element. came along and burned
up everything l had on earth. except
my health. Istayed around Portland
until l was several hundred dollars
in debt and did not have a cent to
help myself with. One night got to
thinking over the situation and i
made up my mind to get away from
the smouldering ruins of my lost for
tunes and make another start. / had
heard a good deal about Coos bay
and decided to start for that place
the next day. / called on a gambler
of my acquaintance and told him of
my plans and asked him to loan me
thirty dollars. He did so, and / ar
rived at Coos bay with just three
dollars in my pocket After looking
around / was disappointed at the ap-
pearance of the place, and entering a
public house, called all hands up to
the bar to take drink. There were
about twelve loggers and miners in
the house. This cost me S1.50, or
just half my pile. started to go out,
and, changing my mind. turned again
to the bar and treated all hands. AS
/ laid the money on the bar, / said:
Boys, this is the last bean 1 have on
earth and want to 60 to work. Do
any of You know where / can find
iob!' | was dressed pretty well,
aud one burly fellow said: You
can't work; you're a dude 1
convinced him that / was no dude,
and that / could and was willing
TO do any kind of work. Before had
left that room l had hired out to a
logger 10 cook in his camp at S45 per
month. After n short time, L took
charge of the camp and at the end of
three months he gave me a check for
$500. With this L started a little
restaurant at Coos bay. This grew
into n hotel, and / sold out for SS,-
500. 1 then went to mining In the
black sand region over there, spent
all my money and got $500 in debt
before L struck pay. L soon got my
money ont of the mine again, and
came to Seattle in the fall of 1888,
when / leased the New England ho-
tel, paying $500 per month. L ran
the house year, made a whole lot of
money, sold out my lease for a big
bonus, and went back TO Oregon.
Later on l opened big hotel at Spo-
kane Falls, and just as L had it fur
nished and in good running order,
and had commenced to make some
money, the fire came along and
cleaned me out again. Ny cheek
and backbone were again called into
re9uisition, and to-day l have the
best paying hotel in the northwest,
the bar alone having taken in $4,000
the first month it was opened. /
have $500 acres OF timber land on
the Samish, and / am on the Sound
at present looking after IL.
What is the secret of being a good
hotel keeper"
THE same secret required to be
good anything else. A man must
know his business or he can't do IT, |
am reckoned q pretty good hotel nan
and / have made the business a sue
cess because / learned it from the
kitchen up. l served my time as
cook and consequently know how to
supply my kitchen. After that is
properly done they can't fool me by
half cooking what L provide II a
dish comes on the table improperly
cooked / know it and am the first to
kick up fuss. Overtures were made
to me some time ago to take the Oc-
cidental, but 1 was so situated